


Take a Sad Song and Make it Better

by Fanfic_or_bust



Category: Karamel - Fandom, Supergirl (TV 2015), westallen
Genre: A LOT of Angst, Angst, F/M, KaraMel, Music Meister AU, Some Fluff, Where Tommy Dies, westallen - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-26
Updated: 2017-03-26
Packaged: 2018-10-11 01:04:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10451538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fanfic_or_bust/pseuds/Fanfic_or_bust
Summary: The Music Meister has trapped Barry and Kara into a dangerous dream world where the stakes are life or death. They must learn the lesson he is trying to teach them and get through the script in order to escape. But what if that lesson is just too hard to take?ORMusic Meister episode AU where Tommy dies. You'll have to read it for the rest!





	

**Author's Note:**

> My first fic since the great March writer's block of '17! This was a prompt I got from a few people, and I hope you guys like it!
> 
> Reading this, it is assumed you have seen the Flash crossover musical special. It is mostly cannon-inspired (until the end) but it is an AU so things are different, but follow the same major plot points.
> 
> It features Karamel and Westallen, but it's told through Kara's perspective so it's mostly Karamel.

              “No one ever said change was easy.” The strange, magical man said with a smirk and a shrug, his body slowly turning to mist.

              “No! Wait!” Barry shouted reaching forward, to grab hold of the man that called himself the Music Meister, but his fist closed on air, his fingers curling in on themselves. “…wait.” He added again, quietly, uselessly. The man was gone. “What does that even mean?”

              Kara watched, her mouth agape, her eyebrows knitted together forming her signature crinkle. She was frozen, her mind racing, trying to figure this out. She _had_ to figure it out. She was Supergirl, after all. She was supposed to be a hero. She was supposed to fix things. She tried not to panic, as she felt the ache of her feet in her heels, the tightness of her hair being pulled back with pins, a slight twinge in her back. All things she was unused to. Human things. Things that reminded her of how powerless she was right now.

              But that wasn’t entirely true. Her mind reeled as it tried to stay on track. To work through the problem at hand. She wasn’t powerless… she just had no powers. She had been in this situation before and survived. Like on Slaver’s Moon. She winced at the memory, her mind filling with unresolved feelings regarding Mon-El. But she couldn’t afford to break down right now, and that’s what she felt she was about to do. So for the meantime, she just clung to the relief she was feeling that a Mon-El look-alike hadn’t come dancing through the auditorium during the Meister’s big, crazy musical number.

              “I don’t know… but I don’t like it.” Kara answered, her eyes searching the floor sightlessly as her mind continued to race.

              “So we’re just stuck here?” Barry asked, motioning with his arm towards the room around them. Kara looked up at him, then around as the people in the bar started returning from their song and dance, back in character. Cisco (Pablo) was at the back, bussing dishes in the distance, and Winn (Grady) had returned to his place at the piano, playing a melody Kara had never heard before. She wondered briefly if this meant that Winn could also play piano. She’d never heard him play before, and he didn’t have one at his apartment. But she quickly shook off the idea.

              “What did he mean, no one ever said change was easy?” She asked.

              “He said he wanted to teach us a lesson.” Barry replied, clearly as confused as she was.

              “But what lesson?” She wondered aloud, looking around. They were starting to attract stares, and suddenly she remembered Cutter’s threat to live up to his name if they didn’t do a good job singing, and what the Music Meister had said about dying in this world. She paled, suddenly feeling very vulnerable, and decided she and Barry needed to get moving. She put a hand on his back and started briskly walking the stunned speedster towards backstage.

              “Kara, I don’t like not having my powers.” He confessed in a whisper.

              “Neither do I.” She agreed, looking back at the bar one last time and catching eyes with not-Winn, then quickly pulling hers away and following Barry through the door. “I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore, Barry…”

 

………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

              Kara woke up suddenly, and she had this empty feeling like she’d been having a bad dream. Her temples throbbed, the back of her head was aching. She tried to put her hand to where the dull pain emanated from, but she and Barry had been tied up at some point after being knocked out. She struggled against the binds for a little while before scooting forward on the burlap sacks they’d been deposited on so she could nudge Barry, who seemed to still be unconscious. “Barry! Psssst, Barry! Wake up!” She whisper-shouted, shooting a glance at the gangsters that had kidnapped them. They didn’t seem to notice, they were off on the other side of the warehouse, up to no good she was sure.

              “Huh, wah?” Barry said, shooting up as he woke out of his daze. “Why are you yelling?” He asked, confused and clearly feeling the same headache Kara was. He repeated Kara’s attempt to hold his head, discovering in turn that he had been bound.

              “Barry what are we going to do?” Kara fretted. She’d been alone with her thoughts for a few minutes but try as she might, she couldn’t come up with a plan. Instead, all she had been thinking about was Mon-El. How angry she was that he had to go and ruin the perfect, beautiful thing they had by going and _lying_ to her. She had never been so happy before in her life, but he lied to her. And she had a strict no lying policy. Her heart had wailed and fought as she made the gut-wrenching decision to end it, but in the end her brain had won. She couldn’t reconcile the thought of herself being _that girl…_ the girl that lets a guy treat her badly and never bats an eyelash. She had to take a stand, even if she didn’t want to. She was _Supergirl,_ for Rao’s sake. If she didn’t have her principles, she had nothing.

              That’s why she had done it. And ever since, she had been torn in two as her mind and heart fought over the lost love of her life. Forgive him, her heart would plead. Take a stand, her mind would respond. He was the same person, he was a liar, he cared about her, he only cared about himself. It went on and on. She wasn’t just betwixt and between anymore, she was completely and utterly to and fro.

              “What did he say? That we have to follow the script.” Barry said, unaware to the extent of Kara’s misery and distracted mind. She had played off her breakup earlier, pretended she hated Mon-El. Claimed he was her “nothing”. But she only wished all that was true. She wished she hated him. It would make all this so much easier.

              “But what is the script?” She whispered back.

              “It would have been nice if he’d left us a copy.” Barry grumbled.

              “What I wouldn’t do for my super strength right now.” Kara groaned, yearning to just flex her wrists and break the rope.

              “Or my speed. I could phase right out of this.” Barry agreed.

              “Ooh! Or my heat vision.” Kara added, imagining herself burning her way through the ropes.

              “Or my… super… healing…” Barry added, groping for the words. Kara chuckled and he shot her a rueful look, followed by a smirk to let her know he wasn’t really mad. “What? You have more powers than me.” He shrugged. “I didn’t want to be left out.”

              “I guess I shouldn’t keep going then?” She asked boastfully, trusting that Barry knew she was kidding.

              “So I guess being super humble isn’t one of your many powers then?” He replied, teasing, and Kara snorted back a laugh. But this finally caught the gangsters’ attention, and Barry and Kara fell silent as the men stopped what they were doing and walked right towards them, guns in hand.

              “Remember, follow the script.” She whispered urgently, trying not to move her lips.

              “Whatever it is.” Barry replied, and then the man that looked like Joe West was at their feet.

 

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

 

              “Apartment 4B, they’re in there, alright. But I warn ya, ya might not like what ya find in there. And ya never saw me, got it?” Pablo (Cisco) said ominously, gesturing to the apartment door. “Remember though, if it’s trouble you seek, it’s trouble you’ll find.” He added in warning, causing Kara so much pause that she stuttered in her step, tripping a little. Barry caught her, offering her his arm to steady herself.

“I’m,” she cleared her throat, “I’m fine. I’m sorry. Thank you, Pablo.” She got the words out and the man that looked like Cisco nodded before turning on his heel and walking briskly away. He looked over his shoulder once or twice on the way, as if he was afraid of being seen with them. Kara tried her hardest not to fixate on the words he had said. _It’s trouble you’ll find…_ She had heard them before. _Mon-El._ She thought. He had used those words before, worried about her habit of running into danger without a plan. He didn’t understand, of course, that that was her job. And if he had a point about her plan making skills, she certainly wasn’t going to admit it.

“This is it, Kara. Hopefully this is what he wants us to do.” Barry said, his voice anxious.

“It feels right.” Kara reasoned.

“If this feels right, I don’t want to feel wrong, Kara.” Barry replied sardonically, an eyebrow raised.

“I meant, for the script.” Kara argued, and Barry smiled. “So Barry…” She continued. “Are you worried that... Digsy’s, I mean Joe’s, daughter… that she- are you worried it might be-“

“Iris?” Barry answered, interrupting.

“Well, yeah.” Kara replied, slightly awkwardly.

“Kara, I’m terrified.” He admitted, his shoulders slumped momentarily before a scream was heard in apartment 4B. Both Barry and Kara’s head snapped towards the door, and Barry’s shoulders became squared again as he pulled them back in a stretch, standing up straighter. “But I’ve got to know. I’m kicking this door in!”

“Whoa, whoa, Barry!” Kara interjected, momentarily forgetting she had lost her super strength. “If anyone is kicking this door in it’s—“

“Oh I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that you couldn’t- I mean, I just meant that I wanted to- I don’t want this to be a gender thing because- I know you could- okay, how about we do it together?” His thoughts were jumbled in his haste to find out why the woman on the other side of the door had screamed, but Kara knew he meant no offense so she smiled in response, and Barry’s tension eased off and he returned her smile. “Okay, how about together?”

“On Three.” Kara agreed.

“One. Two. THREE.” They both said in unison, kicking at the third and breaking the door open.

The door swung wide, opening the way to the small apartment and both Kara and Barry froze, a gasp escaping both of their lungs. Nothing Kara could have done would have prepared her for what she saw on the other side of that door. She thought the image might be burned into her retinas forever. She had been right, that Millie was being played by an Iris West doppelganger. What she hadn’t expected was who she would be _with…_

“Mon-El!” She shouted, lunging forward on instinct towards the couch where he sat with his arms around Iris, red lipstick smeared all over his face. Luckily Barry shot an arm out to stop her. On his part, he was just standing there, his mouth agape, his eyes wide, his head tilted as if he wasn’t quite understanding what he was seeing.

“Hey!” Not-Mon-El shouted, his eyebrows furrowed in anger.

“What gives?” Iris followed up, her face a mask of suspicion, but they just waited on the couch, like they were waiting for Kara and Barry to deliver their lines before they would move or progress forward.

Kara remained frozen for far too long. She couldn’t stop looking at him. At the lipstick smeared on his face. Not her own. Iris’. She couldn’t seem to reconcile the thoughts and feelings running through her mind. Jealousy. Longing. Anger. Resentment. Fear. Love. _No, not love!_ She scolded herself. And as she’d done many times in the last couple days, she pushed the feeling down, denying it. Or, at least, trying to. But she couldn’t deny that seeing him with someone else, even knowing in her head it wasn’t really him… well, it hurt. She had left him. She was angry at him. By all intents and purposes she shouldn’t care who he kissed. But she couldn’t help the snarling, jealous feeling in her chest that wanted to rip the two lovers apart, to keep anyone from ever kissing those lips ever again. Except her.

Except he was still a liar. And she couldn’t be with him because of it. Those weren’t her lips anymore… “We- we heard a scream.” Barry finally said, snapping Kara out of it. To her horror, the two lovers on the couch smiled, looking at each other with affection and desire, sharing a private joke, before they looked back at Barry and Not-Mon-El responded.

“I surprised her.” He said, causing Iris to giggle, and Not-Mon-El to smile. “What? We’re in love.” He added with a shrug, wrapping his arm around Iris’ shoulder and pulling her towards him.

“Oh Rao!” Kara exclaimed, as she felt like the wind was knocked out of her. “Gross!” She leaned on Barry’s arm for support as she made a gagging face. Barry had fallen silent, his head tilted once more like maybe if he looked at the scene sideways it wouldn’t be as horrifying?

“Are you Millie?” Kara decided to get them on track. They still had a script to follow, after all.

“Who’s asking?” She responded, standing up, her voice tough like a 20s gangster, and Kara would have laughed or smiled if she didn’t secretly want to cry so badly. Beside Millie, her boyfriend stood up next to her, his arm protectively wrapped around her as he stared down Kara with eyes that lacked recognition. He had no idea who she was.

“We, uh, we were sent by your father. He wants you to come home.” Barry explained.

“My father? Well he’s gonna be waitin’ a long time because I ain’t going nowhere without Tommy.” Millie responded with attitude.

“Yeah, we’re in-“

“Love. Yeah, we get it.” Kara finished his sentence for him, with a dramatic roll of her eyes. Tommy’s eyes narrowed a moment before he nodded.

“Our fathers would start a war if they found out we were together.” Millie explained.

“Who is your father?” Barry asked Tommy.

“You might know him as Cutter Moran.” Tommy replied, and Barry turned to Kara.

“Merlin.” He said.

“Who?” Kara asked.

“ **Who?** ” Millie and Tommy asked as one.

“Nevermind.” Barry answered, shaking his head. “You’re Cutter’s son. Great.” Barry added, throwing his hands up.

“So you know my father?” Tommy asked.

“We kinda work for him. Singing, I guess?” Kara responded, shrugging. She still felt like this was some kind of crazy dream, and her heart was beating out of her chest, being so close to Mon-El, seeing him with someone else. But she was determined to follow the script. To get out of this horrible world where Mon-El didn’t know her and Iris didn’t know Barry, and to make sure she didn’t get killed while trying.

“Then you know he will not take kindly to the news that we are in love.” Tommy responded, and Iris nodded firmly next to him. Her hand was on his chest now, and Kara wanted to scream.

“Have you given them a chance?” Barry asked?

“A chance to shoot me full’a lead?” He retorted.

“Can you… just give us a second?” Kara interrupted, needing some time to process and to figure out a plan. She couldn’t just charge into danger like she was used to.

“Sure.” Millie answered, turning towards Tommy. Kara caught a fleeting glimpse of him raising his hand to cup her face and pull her forehead to his own and she turned away as quickly as she could, wrapping an arm around Barry’s shoulder in a huddle.

“Kara, I’m freaking out.” Barry said first, breathlessly, in a whisper.

“What? You’re not allowed to freak out because I’m freaking out!” Kara argued. “And we need a plan.” She added.

“Okay. We- we’ve got to follow the script.” Barry suggested, and Kara sighed.

“Not specific enough.” She groaned in frustration of the situation, not of Barry.

“What do you think the script would want us to do?” He asked.

“Okay! Good!” Kara encouraged. “So we’re in a musical, right?”

“Yes! It reminds me kind of like West Side Story, right?” Barry asked.

“I don’t know, I’ve never seen it.” Kara answered, and Barry’s eyes widened in shock.

“Oh Kara! You HAVE to see it, it’s about-“

“I know what West Side Story is, Barry.” She laughed, interrupting him. “I’m sorry, I can get a little sarcastic when I’m stressed out. But you’re right, they’re like the Sharks and the Jets.”

“Do you think we’re supposed to bring them all together?” Barry suggested.

“Like get their fathers to accept their…” She couldn’t say the last word. _Love._ It caught in her throat. Barry seemed to understand and share the feeling.

“Yeah like maybe if we-“ But they were interrupted by the wet sound of lips smacking and giggles behind them. Kara and Barry turned together from their huddle to see Tommy and Millie kissing. Their bodies were tight together and their hands were wandering and they kept laughing between kisses like they were in-

Kara snapped away from them, and Barry followed her an instant later. They both looked like they’d seen a ghost. “Barry I don’t know if I can do this.” Kara admitted weakly.

“Kara, I know you can do anything. You’re Supergirl. We’re going to get out of this.” Barry encouraged, and it was helpful. After a second, she nodded her agreement. “So I guess Mon-El and you had something pretty special?” He asked. Kara sighed.

“Yes, maybe. Well, yes, we did. It was… I thought it was. But he was lying the whole time. I can’t- how can I trust him? I don’t deserve to be lied to. So we can’t be together… the problem is that seeing him here, now, he doesn’t _feel_ like he’s nothing to me. And I need him to.” The words spilled out of her mouth.

“Kara, I understand. Seeing Iris with him… someone other than me. I feel like if I’d been stuck in that cell in the speedforce that Wally got put into, and Jay… this is what I’d see. It’s… it’s torture. And it’s torture knowing I was the one that rejected her, she said yes and I called things off. How stupid was I? But now I can’t make things right, and she’s here with-“ He stopped and shook his head, collecting himself. “Listen, bottom line is if we never get out of here, I’ll never get a chance to fix it. And you won’t get a chance to make up with Mon-El.”

“That’s not going to happen.” Kara quickly corrected him, a pang in her heart as she said it. “But we still have to get out of here.

“Well if we don’t convince them to tell their fathers, they’ll stay here, and we’ll have to go back to Digsy without them and he’ll probably kill us.” Barry reasoned.

“And if he doesn’t, Cutter will.” Kara added. “Ok Barry, lets convince them to tell their fathers.”

“You know West Side Story doesn’t have a very happy ending…”

“I don’t want to think about that.” Kara said.

“Okay.”

“Just follow the script.”

“Okay.” Barry repeated, his voice firm and resolute. Determined. He loudly cleared his throat before continuing. “Okay, we’re turning around now!” He called out in warning, in hopes that Tommy and Millie might stop kissing.

When Kara turned, they were no longer engaged physically but their faces were wet, their lips swollen and red from the lipstick, and they were slightly out of breath. They both bore smirks like they knew they’d been bad but they just couldn’t help keeping their hands off of each other. As if to emphasize the point, Tommy’s hand reached out and found Millie’s, their fingers entwining so naturally and possessively.

Swallowing back the lump in her throat, Kara coughed awkwardly, ready to deliver her lines. She just hoped it wouldn’t be too hard to convince them to go tell their fathers. Because she needed to get this show on the road.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

 

The club was dimly lit as Kara stood across from Tommy and Cutter. It had turned out to be exceptionally easy to convince Tommy and Millie to stop hiding and admit their love to their fathers. Tommy had just poured his heart out to his father, who had stood and listened in silence. Kara had read the distinct pattern of prejudice and disapproval on Cutter’s face the whole time and it left her feeling uneasy but she didn’t know yet why.

Here Tommy was, putting his heart on the line, explaining that he had only kept it a secret because he’d been too afraid, that he was in love, but Cutter’s prejudice was too much. He hated the Jets too much, or whatever Digsy’s gang was called, and his prejudice was overriding his desire to forgive his son. It was written all over his face.

“Dad, I’m so sorry I lied, but I couldn’t help it. I fell in love. Please you’ve gotta understand.”

When Tommy was finally done, he looked anxiously at his father, waiting for, hoping for approval. Forgiveness. And Kara’s heart ached for him. Try as she might, she was suddenly rooting for Tommy and Millie.

“You lied to me son.” He said quietly, dangerously.

“Only because I thought I had to!” Tommy pleaded. And suddenly Kara had had enough. She had put Tommy, fictional character or not, in this situation. And she was suddenly furious at Cutter for not seeing his point of view. Not being able to control herself, she stepped forward.

“Now hold on-“ She said before she could regain control of her mind. Tommy and Cutter both snapped their heads in her direction. She froze for a moment, suddenly in the hot seat, but quickly found her way back on track. “He only lied because he was too scared to tell you because he knew you wouldn’t understand! And it’s not like it’s the worst lie in the world, it doesn’t change who he is, he’s still your son.” She was right up in Cutter’s face, her chest heaving with adrenaline and righteous fury, and it was only now that she considered his propensity for living up to his namesake.

“That girl is the daughter of my enemy. That means that girl _is_ my enemy.”

“Her father is your enemy, she hasn’t done anything wrong other than be born to the wrong person.” She argued, a light starting to shine in the back of her mind. Connections were being made.

“She’s just as bad as they are, the apple never falls far from the tree” Cutter responded harshly. Tommy looked back and forth between them nervously.

“The world isn’t just black and white!” Kara argued, her eyes widening as she said it. It was almost like she heard a ‘click’ as the thought moved into place. This was her lesson. She almost stopped talking, but then realized Tommy and Cutter were still there, looking at her, waiting for her to finish.

“And?” He prompted.

“And…” She steadied her train of thought. “And you can’t just lump people into categories of ‘good’ or ‘bad’ just based on where they came from.” Kara finished, her eyes shooting towards the man that looked so much like _her_ man.

“That doesn’t change the fact that my son lied to me.” Cutter spat, shooting Tommy a venomous look. “What do you suggest I do about that?” He returned his focus to Kara. She had to take a deep breath before answering.

“I think you should…” She paused, shifting her gaze to Tommy and holding it as she finished. “…forgive him.” She said, feeling her eyes prickle as they threatened to tear up. “Love makes you do some stupid things sometimes.” She smiled tightly as Tommy nodded back to her, thankful.

“That’s a good point…” Cutter reasoned, and then for the third time since arriving in this world, he began to sing. It was a song about love and supporting Tommy and if she weren’t in the middle of a deadly magic hallucination, Kara thought she might have enjoyed it.

 

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

 

“Barry, why aren’t we home yet?” Kara worried. They’d been kidnapped, found the mobsters’ kids, returned them to their fathers, restored their love and cleared the path for Tommy and Millie to be together, and Kara and Barry had even had their own big musical number. She still had ‘Super Friends’ stuck in her head. There didn’t appear to be any plot left, but yet she and Barry were still stuck here.

“The Music Meister said we could go home when we got through the script. What could be left?” Barry asked. Apparently Digsy had had a similar reaction and revelation as Cutter and according to Barry, he’d even sung the exact same song. Hearing that, it had made Kara think not for the first time that she would much rather be watching this musical, instead of living it. There had been a shoot out in the bar earlier in the evening, no one had been hurt, but bullets were flying and it had left Kara feeling uneasy.

“I don’t know what to do… our set is over. What now?” She wondered aloud, looking around for a clue. Trying not to think of Mon-El. Her feelings towards him were so confusing and overwhelming, it was the last thing she needed, but the only thing she seemed to be able to do. How was she supposed to figure her way out of this place with her and Barry so hung up on their… people they cared about. Even still, even in her mind, she still couldn’t say the word. The L word.

Barry was distracted too. Kara could see it. He was trying to stay focused but she knew his mind kept wandering back to the image of Iris and Mon-El, passionately kissing. “Look around, there has to be something. A plot device. Something out of place.” Kara said, trying to narrow her focus. She decided to head back towards the bar and Barry followed. Her eye was trained on Grady, the Winn lookalike, when Barry grabbed her arm.

“Kara.” He said quietly but urgently. She stopped in her tracks, and seeing him focused on a point she followed his gaze. It was-

“Mon-El.” She breathed. He was there, in the bar. He was talking with his father. She and Barry hung back by the bar, trying to eavesdrop, though it was harder without super hearing. She caught snippets of conversation. Mon-El –Tommy- was happy that his father was being so understanding of the relationship. He kept apologizing for lying, telling Cutter he wanted to tell him but he was too afraid of losing her if he didn’t understand.

The whole thing would have been very emotional and touching if Kara hadn’t been so intently watching Cutter’s face throughout their conversation. Something was off about him. His smile wasn’t meeting his eyes. He was tense. He kept looking off towards the corner of the bar. In the end, he and Tommy had hugged and Tommy exited out the front entrance of the club.

Kara turned to Barry. “Did you see-“

“Cutter’s face? Yeah.” Barry finished “He’s up to something.”

“Do you think we should-“

“Follow him? Yeah.” He said, finishing her thoughts for her again, and the two of them hurried out as inconspicuously as they could after the departing Tommy.

When they got into the street, Kara looked both ways, trying to find a sign of him. She squinted, not able to see a thing in the darkness. She let out a roar of frustration. “I hate not having my supervision!” She moaned, and Barry looked around, squinting.

“No need, he’s there!” He pointed off towards something Kara couldn’t see, and Barry grabbed her arm to follow.

“Wha? How? How did you see?” Kara asked, slightly incredulous, and Barry laughed.

“Maybe your character needs glasses?” He asked with a chuckle. “Come on, Kara, let’s go finish this movie!” He encouraged, quickening in the pace. Now Kara could see the figure up ahead in the darkness, walking towards a lamppost on a street corner. And as Kara got closer, she realized there was someone waiting under the lamppost. “Iris.” Barry said the name as he saw her there too. They continued at a jog, trying to catch up, so that they could be close enough to hear.

Tommy had begun to run as well, and then he and Millie were hugging, and then kissing under the soft glow of the lamp post. Kara could tell they were happy. Millie’s hands went to cup Tommy’s face, like she was so glad to find him safe.

But then there were two men. Kara hadn’t seen them before, they stepped out of the darkness and into the lamp light. Tommy was standing in front of Millie, protecting her with his hands out to block her from harm. There was shouting. Kara began to run in earnest. “Barry! We have to get there!” She panted as he ran next to her.

“I’m not fast enough! Not again! I have to save her!” Barry screamed, his voice a panic. Like something from his soul was being tortured. It made Kara want to help him, but she had to try to save-

“YOU TELL MY FATHER IF HE’S GOING TO KILL HER HE’S GONNA HAVE TO KILL ME FIRST!” She heard Tommy scream, immediately reclaiming Kara’s attention. Her eyes were already tearing up as she heard the gun shot crack off, tears flying into the wind as she raced to get to his side.

*BANG!* And then a scream. And then silence.

Then attackers ran off in the opposite direction of Kara and Barry and within seconds they finally made it to the street corner. Kara paused for a moment to survey the scene. Tommy was on the ground, the pool of blood around him quickly growing from the scarlet stain in his stomach. Iris had been knocked aside and hit her head. She was lying still on the ground beside him, though Kara didn’t know whether she was living or dead.

“Mon-El!” Kara sobbed, dropping to her knees at his side.

“Iris!” Barry called, dropping down to check on her.

“Wh… Who?” Mon-El choked out, confused. He was fading fast. Tears poured down from Kara’s eyes as she smiled down at him, her heart breaking, as she tried to soothe him as he passed.

“Tommy.” She sniffed, correcting herself as she leaned down to cradle his head and look him in the eyes. “I’m sorry, Tommy.” Despite the life that was flowing out of him, he smiled up at her. And for just a moment, Kara thought he saw her. That maybe, he knew her. But then-

“Millie?” He asked and Kara held back a sob but continued to smile at him, her biggest, brightest smile, sniffing back the runny nose that was accompanying her tears.

“She’s right here. Right next to you.” Kara soothed, turning his head so that he could see her, ignoring the pain in her heart. Barry was hovered over her, but Tommy didn’t seem to mind. He just smiled, like he was relieved, and reached out a dying hand to touch her.

“As long… as… we’re” He looked up at Kara with eyes filled with love and coughed, and she watched as the light faded from them. “…together.” The word whispered out on his dying breath and Kara let out a howl of pain as she held him in her arms.

“I’m sorry!” She sobbed, leaning down over his body, pressing her face into his chest. She remained like that for a while before she realized that Barry was doing the same thing with Iris. He kept saying her name, like he was pleading with her.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t fast enough.” He kept saying. And finally, Kara sat up. She supposed it may be shock, but she was suddenly feeling kind of numb. And as she sat there, watching Barry, absentmindedly running her fingers through Mon-El’s hair, her mind slowly began turning again. The gears began moving slowly at first but soon they were going and she was capable of thought again. And of worry.

And suddenly she thought of what the Music Meister had said… that if you died in the movie, you died in real life. And _now_ it was time to panic. She didn’t want to burden Barry with this particular worry, but she also wasn’t able to hold it all to herself. It was too big, too painful, too powerful of a thought and it burst from her with no control.

“Barry.” She said, and he didn’t answer. “Barry.” She repeated. “Barry!” Finally he looked up at her.

“I know it isn’t her, Kara, I do, but… I wasn’t fast enough…”

“Barry what if this _is_ them?”

“What do you mean?” He asked, deadly serious.

“He said if you die in here…”

“…You die out there.” He finished. He looked at her, his face a solemn mask. “Kara we have to get out of here. I need to know. I won’t be able to live with myself…”

And suddenly, Kara snapped. She put Tommy’s head down gently but then jumped to her feet, throwing her arms up as she screamed. “Okay! Are you happy now!?” She shouted at the sky. “I _know_ you can hear us!” She screamed, and Barry didn’t try to stop her. He was slowly getting to his feet. “I LOVE him, is that what you want me to admit!? I do! I admit it! Or do you want me to admit that I was _wrong_ , because I was!” Her voice was cracking as she screamed, releasing all her fear and anger and helplessness into her words. “I love him, please don’t take him from me!”

And Barry was nodding. “You’ve made your point!” He shouted in turn. “I never want to be apart from her another day in my life! Please! I was wrong too! I’m stronger with Iris! She makes me better!” He wiped furious tears from his eyes as he yelled into the night.

Both Barry and Kara stood in the street, panting, out of breath from yelling. And nothing happened. Then Kara turned to Barry, their eyes meeting, both of their tear soaked faces plainly showing their grief, and they ran into each other’s arms. Kara hugged Barry tight and he did the same and they cried into each other’s shoulders as they each tried to prop the other up.

“I was so, so wrong.” He said, his head bowed to press into Kara’s shoulder.

“I was too, Barry.” She agreed, and then they pulled apart. “I mean, he was wrong to lie… but I understand why he did. And I forgive him for it. And I just hope… I hope I get a chance to tell him.” She admitted, the worry so strong it threatened to overwhelm her.

“I was wrong to propose for the wrong reasons… but I never should have left Iris. I never should have hurt her like that. I _need_ the chance to make that right.” Barry added, running his hands through his hair and tugging at the roots.

And then suddenly, the world began to go shiny, and there was a ringing of bells. Kara and Barry’s eyes met, wide. And just as the world began to disappear, she saw Barry mouth the word ‘Home?’ And she prayed to Rao he was right.

 

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

The first thing Kara heard was a rhythmic beeping, and a bright blinding light caused her to squint in pain momentarily. And then there was a voice. “Kara? Kara! Kara! Caitlin, she’s waking up!” It was Mon-El! And Kara wanted to sob with joy that he was here, alive. That he hadn’t died along with Tommy. But she couldn’t move yet, not voluntarily.

“Barry is too!” Iris called, her voice cracking with emotion. “They’re okay!”

“Heart rates are decreasing, vitals are returning to normal.” Caitlin checked off. “Solar absorption levels rising, Barry’s speed force is returning. They’ll be weak when they wake up but they’ll recover.” She added, relief plainly audible in her voice.

“Kara, Kara can you hear me?” Mon-El was whispering urgently, and she felt like his voice was guiding her home. She felt his hand cup and caress her face, his thumb brushing over her cheek. But then he pulled back, as if he was unsure if that was okay for him to do, and Kara without meaning to found herself leaning upwards with his hand, trying to keep the contact.

“Mon-El!” She whispered, her eyes shooting open and instantly finding his. His eyes were wide and his smile was blinding and conveyed his relief and all of the grief he had been through all at once.

“Kara!” He said her name like it was a prayer, and sat on the edge of the hospital bed looking down at her. “I’m so glad you’re okay… We thought- I thought I was going to lose you…” Tears were welling in his eyes and when he blinked they spilled down his cheeks. Kara instinctively reached up to wipe one away. She was weak. So weak. But not too weak to move. To reconcile. She had to.

She still couldn’t believe he was real. That this was the real Mon-El. That he knew who she was, and wasn’t in love with Iris, and best of all… he was alive. He was okay. He hadn’t paid the price for Kara’s mistake. And suddenly she needed him. She sat upright without thinking, feeling the strain on her tired body but not caring. Caitlin came running over but stopped several paces away when she saw Kara with Mon-El, not wanting to intrude on the moment.

Mon-El sat on the side of the bed looking shocked but hopeful and Kara had sat up so that they faced each other, just inches away. She put her hand softly on his chest and ran it up to cup the back of his neck, and then up through his hair, planning to kiss him. But then suddenly she had a flash of memory. He was dead, cradled in her lap and she was running his fingers through his hair. And suddenly a sobbing “Mon-El” left her chest and she leaned forward into him, crying, and he wrapped his arms around her, gently petting her with his hands, calming her down.

“Shhhhh, it’s okay. I’m here.” He soothed, one hand rubbing her back, the other patting her hair gently.

“You died, I saw you…”

“I didn’t, I’m right here. I never left your side.” He whispered into her ear, kissing her temple and then pressing his cheek against her head.

“Mon-El, I’m so sorry.” She sniffed into his chest, her fingers tightening on his back.

“Kara you have nothing to be sorry about, it’s me that’s sorry. I never should have lied to you, it was wrong.” He pulled back so that she could look him in the eyes, to see the plain and open sincerity there. He meant every word.

“Yes but I know why you did it. Why you felt you had to. That’s my fault.” She sniffed.

“Nothing is your fault. We’re together now, that’s all that matters. You’re alive and if you’ll have me, I’ll never lie to you again. About anything.” He said, seriously, his eyes not moving from her own. They were the colour of the ocean, and every bit as deep. And she believed him. She smiled, and chuckled a little, sniffing as she did. “Seriously. About nothing. You might not like it. Things are about to get _very_ intimate.” He added, an attempt at humour, and Kara laughed.

She smiled and laughed a little as she reached up and brushed her hand past his cheek and around to the back of his head. “Just shut up and kiss me.” She laughed and she caught a quick glimpse of the most radiant smile in return before she crashed her face to his, their lips meeting with a passionate welcoming and feeling of home. Mon-El’s arms instantly enveloped her, pulling her close. He was gentle but urgent, so relieved to have her back. And she felt the same way. They’d only been apart for two days but it felt like a lifetime. But it was okay, because they were together and everything was right again. Barry and Iris were okay, and she was back, with the man she loved.

And suddenly Kara realized she’d never told him that. That she loved him. Hadn’t realized it herself until the Music Meister had forced her to confront her feelings. And she almost told him right then and there before deciding that rather than telling him now, she would wait and make it special. She knew that keeping her feelings was a lie, though… and he’d just promised never to lie to her again. She felt a little guilty, but as she pulled away and saw the plain, unadulterated happiness on his face in this moment, she knew he’d forgive her.

 

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

 

The time had come to leave Earth 1. Kara and Barry had been mandated by Caitlin to stay and let her monitor their vitals for the next few hours after waking up, and Mon-El hadn’t left her side the whole time. She felt so much more grounded with him there, his hands resting on her shoulder, or entwined with her own, the time passed quickly and easily. Eventually the group had ordered delivery into Star Labs, and had shared a friendly meal. Kara was happy to discover that potstickers were every bit as delicious on this earth as on her own and she was enjoying the company of her friends immensely and was sad that they had to part so soon.

She was amused to see how much Mon-El had bonded with Team Flash while she was unconscious, though she felt incredible pangs of jealousy every time he would interact with Iris. She knew that was stupid, that it was illogical, and yet… She had caught Barry’s eye more than once during dinner and knew he felt it too. But they had smiled and brushed it off. Tommy and Millie weren’t real. Despite that knowledge, Kara didn’t think she’d soon forget the sight of them wrapped up in each other’s arms on that couch when they’d busted into apartment 4B. And Barry probably wouldn’t either.

“You know, you guys can ‘vibe’ over whenever you want.” Mon-El invited, using air quotes around the word vibe, and Kara smiled. “But like… vibe into the hallway and knock. Because unlike last time you guys just busted in unannounced, we’re together now and, well, you know…” He raised his eyebrows suggestively.

“Mon-El!” Kara laughed, slapping his arm and blushing, but pulling him closer nonetheless.

“That is a very good point.” Cisco agreed, eyes widening and eyebrows raising.

“I didn’t need that visual.” Barry teased, and Mon-El just shrugged, unashamed.

“Well I guess this is it.” Kara said, standing in front of the portal with Mon-El.

“Until next time.” Barry agreed, and then they smiled and shared a warm, tight hug as they said goodbye. But they pulled apart quickly when they realized what was happening beside them.

“It was so nice meeting you, Mon-El” Iris was saying.

“Maybe you guys could come to Earth 38 and we could go on a double date?” Mon-El suggested. And then he and Iris were hugging and Kara and Barry looked at each other briefly, before rushing over and pulling them apart.

“I think that’s-“ Barry started, pulling a startled Iris to his side.

“Time to go…” Kara finished for him, pulling Mon-El to her side and brushing his arm off a little.

“That was nice.” Barry added, completely falsely, his smile tight and awkward. Kara thought hers was probably just the same.

“See ya Barry!” Kara called over her shoulder, directing a confused Mon-El towards the portal. “Bye everyone! Thanks again!” She added hurriedly, and Mon-El twisted around to wave goodbye himself before disappearing into the portal and being redeposited back in the DEO. A moment later J’onn appeared behind them.

He smirked at them for a moment before clearing his throat. “Human Resources. Now. You know I just finished signing off on your break up papers yesterday.” He directed firmly, but Kara saw the withheld smile plainly fighting to break free.

Mon-El groaned good naturedly. “Does this mean we’ll have to take the seminar all over again?” Then seeing J’onn’s serious look, he looked back at Kara apologetically. “I think that’s a yes on the seminar.” And she laughed and pulled him towards her, going up on her toes so that she could kiss him. He smiled into the kiss in return, wrapping his arms around her.

“That’s okay.” She whispered, looking up into his eyes.

“Yeah, I guess that’s okay.” He agreed, his ocean-coloured eyes shining. “As long as we’re together.” He added solemnly, the words taking the breath from Kara’s lungs, remembering them said in a different time, a different place.

_As long as we’re together._

**Author's Note:**

> Bah, I loved writing this. I hope you guys enjoyed it! Not sure if this will be a one shot, or if I should write the double date?? Let me know what you thought in the comments! :) xoxo
> 
> I'm @kelbottumbles on tumblr!


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